Ebay Seller Faces 20 years For Nightvision Sale

An Ebay seller now faces 20 years in prison for a little known violation of the complex Homeland Security Act laws that deals with arms exports prohibitions. The seller was selling some nightvision equipment which is perfectly legal to sell to U.S. customers to protect their farms from predator animals or from other dangerous intruders, however one small provision of the Homeland Security Act legislation makes it a very serious federal felony to export some types of equipment that may have a military use outside of the United States. A federal agent claimed to be a buyer from New Zealand in a sting operation to arrest this Ebay dealer.

Strangely, although this nightvision equipment is perfectly legal to sell to almost any U.S. citizen, sales to foreign citizens or to export this equipment is very strictly prohibited by law.

Other Ebay dealers have faced arrests over selling protected animal species parts, or have been banned by Ebay for selling murder paraphernalia items once owned by serial killers or other bizarre items.

Ebay sellers used to believe that their biggest threat was paying high Ebay fees, but selling little or nothing on Ebay and then getting to pay steep postage fees. Now, getting themselves arrested for obscure violations of complex arms exports or Homeland Security Act laws is the latest pitfall for some Ebay dealers.

Nightvision equipment use for hunting varies state by state, but is perfectly legal in many cases such as protecting against bobcats and other predators.